London Bridge was in ‘top 5’ most likely for terror rampage as cops admit ‘big concerns’ before attack
LONDON Bridge was branded a "top five" terror hotspot weeks before the devastating atrocity that killed eight people, an inquest heard.
The area was "crying out" for barriers to be installed to stop a rampage similar to the Westminster Bridge attack.
Cops have now told an inquest there were "big concerns" surrounding the safety of London Bridge weeks before a terror trio launched a murderous rampage.
Eight people died after warped Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, ploughed into pedestrians before stabbing revellers in Borough Market in June 2017.
In the devastating aftermath of the Westminster attack, which killed five, City of London Sergeant Matthew Hone wrote that the location was "probably my biggest concern".
A security meeting held the day after the atrocity in March 2017 described London Bridge as a "crowded place, iconic site, predictable eastern pavement crowded at commuter times".
'I HAVE HUMAN BEING REGRETS'
A study by security advisors Cerastes was also commissioned by City of London police identifying the area as a viable terrorism target for a vehicle used as a weapon.
The inquest was told police were in possession of this report since late April 2017 - two months before the attack.
But Jane Gyford, who at the time was the City of London Police commander of operations and security, said the location did not meet the criteria for installing barriers - including a specific threat or during a large public event.
She told the hearing: "There was no intelligence that would suggest that London Bridge was going to be the site of an attack.
"In a professional sense I had no regrets.
"From a personal stance, the attack was horrendous, three terrorists committed murder.
"Of course I have human being regrets, on the part of the human race.
"In a professional capacity, I made some decisions that were the right ones."
On June 3, 2017, the brainwashed terrorists drove a van at pedestrians on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Xavier Thomas, 45, Chrissy Archibald, 30, Sara Zelenak, 21, James McMullan, 32, Sebastien Belanger, 36, Kirsty Boden, 28, and Alexandre Pigeard, 36, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39, all died in the attack.
A further 48 people were injured in the atrocity, which ended less than ten minutes later when the terrorists were shot dead by police near Borough Market.
The inquest into the eight deaths continues.
